Who's Steph (Colin Keane) beats Peach Tree (Seamie Heffernan)© Photo Healy Racing
Who’s Steph stamped her class on the Munster Oaks Stakes at Cork, to add a third Group Three success to her record.
The Ger Lyons-filly was sent off the even-money favourite and was always travelling well for Colin Keane, as Peach Tree and Jaega cut out the running in the mile-and-a-half contest.
Full of running three furlongs from home, the George Strawbridge-owned four-year-old asserted two out and while Peach Tree stuck to her guns determinedly on the rail, the market leader won with more in hand than the official margin of a length.
"I used to watch Dermot Weld with Famous Name and wonder what it was like to have a bomb-proof Group 3 horse and now I know," said Lyons.
"As Colin said the only negative is she is so honest, she is doing too much. I genuinely thought it was going to be heavy today but there is no soft in the description. It is beautiful ground and I am adamant she needs soft to be at her best but that was safe ground and you can't not run on that.
"She is in the Pretty Polly and that is a huge step up but the man (George Strawbridge) bought her for the big days. Obviously she will only turn up on those days if the ground is good or less and the aim would be to get Group 1 placed and keep pot-hunting that way with her.
"Last year I couldn't run her because of the ground but this year we're getting a run with her so we are having a bit of luck."
The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Veterinary Officer examined Jaega, trained by D. K. Weld, at the request of the Stewards and reported the animal to be clinically abnormal post race.
